Investigating the challenges related to combining BIM and Last Planner System on construction sites

Abstract

The construction industry is facing a gradual but important transformation toward more productivity and collaboration. In this framework, two major approaches are often cited in the literature as having the potential to improve the practices in the industry: Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Lean Construction. Several scientific studies have demonstrated the synergy of these two approaches and very recent research has reported positive results from the use of software applications as support for their implementation on construction sites. However, the stakes of such integration have been very little studied. This article presents the results of a research project conducted within a general contractor firm that decided to implement BIM and Last Planner System (LPS) on its construction sites. The research uses a four-stage action research approach, including the characterization of the research issue, the establishment of an action plan, its implementation and its evaluation. Compared to recent related studies, the research is less enthusiastic. While it highlights the need for new tools to improve production planning and control, it also points to a strong resistance to change by practitioners at the site. They emphasize the necessity for adequate pre-service training and the need for new resources that can work full-time on the ongoing training of site teams. In addition, some limitations of the tool lead workers to believe that it can quickly become a factor that slows down their daily work rather than improving it. Based on the advice of professionals, the paper formulates some recommendations to the industry, the researchers and the software developers.

Keywords

Building Information Modeling / Last Planner System / construction site / lean construction

References

[1] AlSehaimi A O, Tzortzopoulos Fazenda P, Koskela L (2014). Improving construction management practice with the Last Planner System: A case study. Engineering, Construction, and Architectural Management, 21(1): 51–64

[2] Arayici Y, Coates P, Koskela L, Kagioglou M, Usher C, O’Reilly K (2011a). BIM adoption and implementation for architectural practices. Structural Survey, 29(1): 7–25

[3] Arayici Y, Coates P, Koskela L, Kagioglou M, Usher C, O’Reilly K (2011b). Technology adoption in the BIM implementation for lean architectural practice. Automation in Construction, 20(2): 189–195

[4] Ballard G, Howell G (1997). Toward construction JIT. In: Alarcón L F, ed. Lean Construction. Rotterdam: Balkema, 291–300

[5] Ballard G, Howell G (2004). An update on Last Planner. In: Proceedings of the 11th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. Blacksburg, VA

[6] Ballard H G (1994). The Last Planner. In: Spring Conference of the Northern California Construction Institute. Monterey, CA

[7] Ballard H G (2000). The Last Planner System of Production Control. Dissertation for the Doctoral Degree. Birmingham: University of Birmingham

[8] Baskerville R, Myers M D (2004). Special issue on action research in information systems: Making IS research relevant to practice: Foreword. Management Information Systems Quarterly, 28(3): 329–335

[9] Berroir F, Harbouche L, Boton C (2015). Top down vs. bottom up approaches regarding the implementation of Lean Construction through a French case study. In: Proceedings of the 23rd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. Perth, Australia: 73–82

[10] Bilandzic M, Venable J (2011). Towards participatory action design research: Adapting action research and design science research methods for urban informatics. Journal of Community Informatics, 7(3): 1–17

[11] Boton C, Forgues D (2018). Practices and processes in BIM projects: An exploratory case study. Advances in Civil Engineering, 2018: 1–12

[12] Boton C, Forgues D, Halin G (2018). A framework for Building Information Modeling implementation in engineering education. Canadian Journal of Civil Engineering, 45(10): 866–877

[13] Boton C, Halin G, Kubicki S (2012). A metamodel to describe nD CAD visualization as coordinated multiple views. In: Luo Y, ed. Cooperative Design, Visualization, and Engineering. CDVE 2012. Lecture Notes in Computer Science. Berlin, Heidelberg: Springer, vol. 7467, 219–226

[14] Boton C, Kubicki S, Halin G (2013). Designing adapted visualization for collaborative 4D applications. Automation in Construction, 36: 152–167

[15] Boton C, Rivest L, Forgues D, Jupp J (2016). Comparing PLM and BIM from the product structure standpoint. In: Product Lifecycle Management for Digital Transformation of Industries. PLM 2016. IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology. Cham: Springer, vol. 492, 443–453

[16] Boton C, Rivest L, Forgues D, Jupp J R (2018b). Comparison of shipbuilding and construction industries from the product structure standpoint. International Journal of Product Lifecycle Management, 11(3): 191–220

[17] Broadbent M, Weill P (1993). Improving business and information strategy alignment: Learning from the banking industry. IBM Systems Journal, 32(1): 162–179

[18] Cheng Y M (2014). An exploration into cost-influencing factors on construction projects. International Journal of Project Management, 32(5): 850–860

[19] Clemente J, Cachadinha N (2013). Bim-Lean synergies in the management on mep works in public facilities of intensive use—A case study. In: Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. Fortaleza, Brazil: 751–760

[20] Dave B, Boddy S, Koskela L (2013). Challenges and opportunities in implementing Lean and BIM on an infrastructure project. In: Proceedings of the 21st Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. Fortaleza, Brazil: 60–69

[21] Dave B, Koskela L J (2011). Visilean: Designing a production management system with lean and BIM. In: Proceedings of the 19th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. 477–487

[22] Doloi H (2013). Cost overruns and failure in project management: Understanding the roles of key stakeholders in construction projects. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 139(3): 267–279

[23] Fosse R, Ballard G, Fischer M (2017). Virtual design and construction—Aligning BIM and Lean in practice. In: Proceedings of the 25th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. 499–506

[24] Gao S, Low S P (2014). Lean Construction Management: The Toyota Way. Berlin: Springer

[25] Hamdi O, Leite F (2012). BIM and Lean interactions from the bim capability maturity model perspective: A case study. In: Proceedings of the 20th Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction

[26] Hamzeh F R, Zankoul E, Rouhana C (2015). How can ‘tasks made ready’ during lookahead planning impact reliable workflow and project duration? Construction Management and Economics, 33(4): 243–258

[27] Henderson J, Venkatraman N (1990). Strategic alignment: A model for organizational transformation via information technology. New York: Oxford University Press, 202–220

[28] Khan S, Tzortzopoulos P (2014). Effects of the interactions between LPS and BIM on workflow in two building design projects. In: Proceedings of the 22nd Annual Conference of the International Group for Lean Construction. Oslo, Norway: vol. 2, 933–944

[29] Koskela L, Howell G, Ballard G, Tommelein I (2002). The foundations of lean construction. In: Best R, de Valence G, eds. Design and Construction: Building in Value. Woburn, MA: Butterworth-Heinemann, 211–226

[30] Lee A, Aouad G, Cooper R, Fu C, Marshall-Ponting A, Tah J, Wu S (2005). nD modelling—A driver or enabler for construction improvement? RICS Research Paper Series, 5(6): 1–16

[31] Naoum S G (2016). Factors influencing labor productivity on construction sites. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management, 65(3): 401–421

[32] Pekkola S, Nieminen N (2015). Comparison of functional, structural, and dynamic business-IT alignment models: A case study. In: Proceedings of the 21st Americas Conference on Information Systems (AMCIS). 1–14

[33] Pitti Y, Boton C, Forgues D (2019). Combining BIM and Last Planner on construction sites: An investigation of the related challenges. In: Skibniewski M J, Hajdu M, eds. Proceedings of the Creative Construction Conference. Budapest, Hungary: 824–829

[34] Poirier E, Forgues D, Staub-French S (2016). Collaboration through innovation: Implications for expertise in the AEC sector. Construction Management and Economics, 34(11): 769–789

[35] Rafael S, Eastman C, Lee G, Paul T (2018). BIM Handbook: A Guide to Building Information Modeling for Owners, Designers, Engineers, Contractors, and Facility Managers. 3rd ed. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley

[36] Rahman I A, Memon A H, Karim A T A (2013). Significant factors causing cost overruns in large construction projects in Malaysia. Journal of Applied Sciences, 13(2): 286–293

[37] Sabherwal R, Hirschheim R, Goles T (2001). The dynamics of alignment: Insights from a punctuated equilibrium model. Organization Science, 12(2): 179–197

[38] Sacks R, Koskela L, Dave B A, Owen R (2010). Interaction of Lean and Building Information Modeling in construction. Journal of Construction Engineering and Management, 136: 968–980

[39] Saieg P, Sotelino E D, Nascimento D, Caiado R G G (2018). Interactions of Building Information Modeling, Lean and sustainability on the architectural, engineering and construction industry: A systematic review. Journal of Cleaner Production, 174: 788–806

[40] Seppänen O, Ballard G, Pesonen S (2010). The combination of Last Planner System and Location-Based Management System. Lean Construction Journal, 43–54

[41] Shelbourn M, Bouchlaghem N M, Anumba C, Carrillo P (2007). Planning and implementation of effective collaboration in construction projects. Construction Innovation, 7(4): 357–377

[42] Tauriainen M, Marttinen P, Dave B, Koskela L (2016). BIM and lean construction change design management practices. In: Proceedings of the Creative Construction Conference. Budapest, Hungary: 668–673

[43] Teicholz P (2013). Labor-productivity declines in the construction industry: Causes and remedies (a second look). AECbytes Viewpoint

[44] The Computer Integrated Construction Research Program (2010). Building Information Modeling execution planning guide. Version 2.0. The Pennsylvania State University: Computer Integrated Construction Research Group

[45] Vigneault M A, Boton C, Chong H Y, Cooper-Cooke B (2019). An innovative framework of 5D BIM solutions for construction cost management: A systematic review. Archives of Computational Methods in Engineering, 1–18

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

2020 Higher Education Press